Mailing tube



' April 6,1926. I 1,519,243

F. M. PEARSON MAILING TUBE Filed May 11, 1923 MAILING- TUBE.

Application filed May 11, 1923. Serial No. 638,347.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, FnANn M. PnAnsoN, a citizen or" the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lltailing Tubes, 0 which the following is a description. I

My invention relates to mailing tubes and more particularly to means for holding the contents of mailing tubes in place and venting the same from working or talli out and becoming damaged or lost in transit.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient form of clip, adapted to be secured to one or both ends of the tube to bear upon the ends of the mail matter contained therein and securely retain such matter in place.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction therein shm n and described will .be obvious to those M. ed in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consi ts in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts'herein shown and. described, and mordparticularly. pointed out in the claim.

in the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts: 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tube having my improved form of device;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 2, showing the clip bent to 'te materialholding position.

In the drawings, wherein l have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my in vention, 1 indicat s a mailing tube of any suitable size or shape and preferably having one or more open ends. 2 indicates the mail matter that is intended to be carried within the tube. Arranged at one or both ends of the tube are clips which are adapted to en gage the ends of the mail matter and pre vent longitudinal movement thereof outwardly of the tube. The clips at both ends as shown are exactly alike and each is made of a strip of metal, preferably slightly resilient or springy, but easily bendable, the opposite ends, 3 and-e, of the body portion 6 of the clip being bent toward one another as shown.

The clip is shown arranged on the outer surface of the tube, and extends longitudinally therealong to substantially the midpoint of the clip so that approximately half of the clip projects beyond the end of the tube as shown. However, this is generally matter of preference.

The end t is inserted through an aperture 5 formed in the tube 1, this apertur being either provided in the tube prior to the insertion of the clip or it may be formed by the insertion of the clip. The aperture should only be large enough to receive the clip, a tight fit beinp' preferred The shorter leg or the hooked or reversely bent portion of the end 4 extends substantially parallel to the main body portion 6 of the clip along the inside surface of the tube for a suitable distance and then is depressed at its tip as at 7 into the body of material or" the tube so as to become embedded therein and form an abutment shoulder 8 at the point of depression. This abut ment shoulder serves to prevent the clip from being pulled outwardly of the tube, as the tip abuts the shoulder 8 and prevents longitudinal movement therebetween.

The end 3 of the clip is bent so as to 8X tend rearwardly and outwardly of the body portion 6 as at 16 and thence inwardly toward said body portion as at 11, so that the tip 9 ot the end lies closely adjacent the body portion 6 as shown.

The mail matter 2 is inserted into the tube and the body portion of the clip is bent over the open end or the tube until the free end 3 of the clip is brought into contact with the. mail matter to clamp it in place and prevent its movement past the clip.

It will be noted that the tip 9 of the clip does not bite into the mail matter to injure it, but is out of contact therewith.

In case the clip is bent over to the position shown in Fig. 3 at one end of the tube prior to the insertion of the mail matter, it is obvious that the portion 10 will form a guide for the end of the mail matter,'lifting such matter against the inner surface of the tube and holding or clamping it in place thereat.

Having thus describec my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial n1odifica tions may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myseli to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure 5 by Letters Patent is:

In combination, a mailing tube and a clip comprising a strip of irresilient metal having one end fastened to the tube and the other end projecting beyond the end of the tube and bent to form a closed loop. whereby the loop end of the strip can be bent inwardly into contact with the inner periphery of the tube.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANK M. PEARSON. 

